A forum in Iron County will take a closer look at economic drivers in the area, and brainstorm possible new ones.
The nonpartisan Iron County Citizens Forum this Wednesday at the Oma Town Hall is looking at economic sectors like timber, tourism and retirees.
Coordinator Terry Daulton says the idea evolved out of discussions on how jobs factor into the Penokee Mine proposal.
“During all this controversy over mining, etc., there’s been a lot of talk about mining economy, but really we hadn’t been thinking as much about the existing economic drivers. And maybe ways that people could look to support those industries.”
The forum will host five panelists…including a representative from Mercer company Action Floors and the director of the Mercer Chamber of Commerce. Other panelists will address the challenge of keeping young people in the area, and the economic impacts of retirees.
Daulton says they’ll be discussing opportunities and challenges.
“Because like anything that happens here in Northern Wisconsin there are gonna be challenges, whether for tourism the amount of snow we get…there are lots of aspects of each of these businesses that are maybe more complicated that meets the eye.”
Iron County has the state’s highest unemployment rate according to last month’s numbers…at over 13 percent.
